Scrum powers Springboks to historic victory over Ireland in Dublin

There was high drama in Dublin on Saturday evening as the Springboks took on Ireland in a pressure-packed showdown on their November tour.

What unfolded at the Aviva Stadium was a bruising, high-tempered contest defined by the physicality of the world champions, their composure, and a set-piece masterclass that ultimately powered them to a 24–13 victory in a fiery grudge match.

With the victory — a first in 13 years in Dublin and the first in the Rassie Erasmus coaching era — the Boks have now dispelled all doubt that they are the best team in the world, and currently no other side in world rugby comes close to them.

Ireland’s discipline issues did not help their cause in the duel. An upgraded yellow card for head contact, along with three further yellow cards for repeated infringements, stalled their momentum and handed the Boks control of key passages of play, especially before halftime.

But while the cards undoubtedly shaped the flow of the match, the real difference lay in South Africa’s dominance up front.

The Bok scrum was a force of nature, bulldozing the Irish pack backwards and forcing penalty after penalty. Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit initiated the softening process before the introduction of Wilco Louw and Gerhard Steenekamp piled on the pressure.

From the early exchanges, it was clear the home side were in for a long evening at scrum time and with the lineouts, as the world champions tightened the screw with every engagement. Their dominance eventually culminated in a crucial penalty try at the halftime mark, a moment that underlined the gulf in power and technique between the two packs.

Ireland also won only 67% of their lineouts in the first half, with Eben Etzebeth and Ruan Nortjé disrupting their throws, while the Boks had a 100% success rate. Only in the second half did hooker Malcolm Marx lose his first lineout throw.

The set-piece superiority allowed the Springboks to launch wave after wave of pressure in the second half, eventually breaking the Irish defence through clinical play just after the 60th minute. Before that, even when they were a player or two down, the home side showed their worth on defence.

With their fourth yellow card, again for a scrum infringement, it should have sounded the death knell for the home side. However, they were in fighting mode in the second half, and whatever the Boks threw at them, they fended off.

South Africa’s inability to seal the game, especially after that 47th-minute score by Feinberg-Mngomezulu, should be a concern for the Boks. Yes, that try won them the game, but another score would have given them the cushion to see out the match.

In the end, it was a well-deserved victory for South Africa, but they made it difficult for themselves by allowing Ireland to dictate things in the second half, despite having the upper hand.

However, some strong defence at the end, despite being a man down, sealed the game for the world champions as they remain unbeaten on their November tour.